Cochise Health and Social Services (CHSS) remind residents to take extra COVID-19 precautions this holiday season by following the recommended safety mitigations: wash your hands often, wear a mask when gathering in public indoor settings, and consider getting the COVID-19 vaccine and booster.
During today’s regular COVID-19 Work-Session with the Board of Supervisors, Cochise Health and Social Services provided an update on the most recent data relating to COVID-19 within Cochise County.
Cases and Trends: COVID-19 case data as of December 15, 2021:
- Confirmed cases: 19,278, including 1,164 new cases since Dec. 3.
- Hospitalizations: 1,089, including 58 new hospitalizations since Dec. 3.
- Confirmed deaths: 433, including 41 new deaths confirmed since Dec. 3.
- Vaccines administered: 158,962, an increase of 9,636 since Dec. 3.
- School-related cases since the start of the semester (Aug. 8, 2021): 1,330, including 199 new cases since Dec. 3.
Cochise County Emergency Management shared an update on the status of County hospitals. As of December 17, 2021:
- Hospitals are temporality stabilized, meaning they aren’t currently experiencing crisis standards of care; however, inpatient bed availability remains critically low.
- County hospitals continue to be challenged by staffing shortages.
- Due to upcoming holiday gatherings, officials expect a resurgence of hospitalizations in the coming weeks.
“We are preparing for another surge and are anticipating our hospitals reaching critical stages again,” said Public Health Director, Alicia M. Thompson.
Additionally, the County Health department and Emergency Management department have been working closely with local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and State and Federal partners in requesting and facilitating resources to navigate the hospital surges.
Cochise County residents are reminded of their critical role in helping alleviate the hospitals by taking action and following the recommended steps to mitigate COVID-19 and reduce the spread of the virus.
Cochise Health & Social Services recommends all eligible residents receive the COVID-19 vaccine series and a booster for added protection from the virus. As presented by CHSS, recent data shows breakthrough cases continue to rise within Cochise County, however, COVID-19 vaccines and boosters help to reduce severe illness and death. Local hospitals also report, those who are fully vaccinated are recovering quickly and not requiring intensive care within their facilities.
Adolescents ages 16-17 are now eligible to receive the Pfizer booster vaccine. On December 9, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded the COVID-19 booster recommendations to include 16-and-17-year-olds. At this time, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is the only booster authorized and recommended for adolescents aged 16 and 17.
To view the full video recording of the COVID-19 Work Session, please visit the Board of Supervisors Agendas & Minutes site.
For assistance regarding COVID-19 tests, vaccines, and safety recommendations, contact the Cochise Health and Social Services department via email at Vaccine@cochise.az.gov and Publichealth@cochise.az.gov or by calling 520-432-9400, Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm.
Stay informed on the latest COVID-19 updates by visiting the Cochise County website, Facebook, and Twitter.